Fiber-case railway-torpedo.



F. BUTCHER.

FIBER CASE RAILWAY TORPEDO.

APPLICATION man MAY 28. 19:5.

Patented J an. 2, 1917.

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ATENT FENCE.

FRANK BUTCHER, 0F VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB T0 CENTRAL RAILWAYSIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW"JERSEY.

FIIBER-CASE RAILWAY-TORPEDQ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 2, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Dn'ronnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFiber- Case Railway-Torpedoes, of which the following is aspecification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in fiber case railway torpedoes.

The object of my invention is to provide a torpedo of this character inwhich all metal for closing the case and holding the strap is dispensedwith so that there are no metal parts to fly to injure by-standers, andhaving tapering ends so that the torpedo is less liable to be knockedoff the track by the car wheels.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap andeffective torpedo having certain details of structure and com binatic-nof parts hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved torpedo. Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1is a bottom perspective view of a. modified form of torpedo. Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional view of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents the outer case of myimproved torpedo and which is preferably made of a tube cut into theproper length and pressed down flat as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings and having its ends formed with folds 2 also clearly shown inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The bottom 3 of the case is providedadjacent its edges with the slits a and 5, and the portion 6 between theslits a and 5 is pressed downwardly and passing through said downwardlypressed portion of the bottom, and through the slits is therail-attaching clip or strap 7, whereby the same is readily secured tothe torpedo. The explosive compound 8 is preferably in tablet form andis surrounded by a wrapper 9 which has the extended portions 10extending within the folded ends of the case 1 and whereby there is adouble covering for the explosive compound as fully shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawing. It will be understood that the wrapper 9 has its ends openand when the ends of the case 1 are folded, the wrapper necessarily isfolded therewith and tightly closes the same. I

Passing through the folded ends of the case 1 are two rows of stitching11 and 12 which tightly closes the ends of'the case. These two rows ofstitching also pass through the extended ends 10 of the wrapper 9 andtightly seal the Wrapper. The folded ends of the torpedo case 1 aredipped into a waterproof composition 13 which tightly seals the ends ofthe case and also the folded ends 10 of the wrapper 9 and absolutelyprevents any moisture entering either the folded ends of the wrapper orthe case. This waterproof composition also enters the openings formed bythe two rows of stitching, and prevents any moisture entering the case 1or the wrapper 9. By this construction and arrangement of parts it willbe 'seen that I have provided an absolutely water-tight case having adouble thickness and in which both inner and outer casings aresimultaneously closed by a single means such as the stitching. It mightbe found necessary to dip the whole torpedo in a waterproof compositionwhich would tightly seal the slits 1 and 5 in the lower face, andabsolutely prevent any moisture entering the outer case around thewrapper.

1n the modification shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing the case 1 isconstructed in the same manner as that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but inorder to prevent the slitting or piercing of the case 1, I have providedan additional tube 11 which is of a length approximately that of theexplosive compound '8, and tightly fits around the outer case 1. Thisadditional tube 11 is provided with slits 15 and 16 having the portion17 bulged downwardly and forming a space through which therail-attaching clip 18 passes and whereby the rail-a taching strap orclip does not enter the outer case 1 of the torpedo and absolutelyprevents any moisture entering the outer case on'the outside of thewrapper 8. After the torpedo is constructed in the manner shown in Figs.at and 5 the whole torpedo is waterproofed with shellac or otherwaterproof composition which firmly locks the tube 1 1 on the case 1 andat the same time additionally seals the outer folded ends of the case 1to form a more water-tight case.

The object of forming tapered'ends for the wrapper and tube is topresent a relatively thin edge for the wheel of the locomotive or car torun on thus avoiding a thick abrupt edge for the engagement of the carWheel which might force the torpedo oil' the track.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A railway torpedo comprising an explosive tablet, a wrapper aroundthe tablet in tubular form with open ends, an open ended tubesurrounding the tubular wrapper and of substantially the same length,the wrapper and tube having their ends extending beyond the explosiveand flattened, and a stitching extending through the ends of the wrapperand tube uniting them and closing the open ends of both the tubular Iwrapper and the tube.

2. A fiber case railway torpedo comprising an explosive tablet, awrapper therearound in tubular form with open ends, an open end tubeinclosing the tubular wrapper, the ends of the Wrapper and tubeextending beyond the explosive substantially the same distance, and theedges of the tube and the wrapper folded inward to form extended taperedends, and stitching passing through the ends of the tube and the tubularwrapper and closing their open ends.

3. A fiber case railway torpedo, comprising a flattened tube, anexplosive tablet Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the of the tube beyond the explosive tablet, a

tube tightly fitting the first-mentioned tube and of a length shorterthan the same, a rail attaching strap carried by the second tube, andmeans for holding the second tube on the first-mentioned tube,substantially as shown and described.

5. A fiber case railway torpedo comprising a flattened tube, anexplosive tablet within the tube, the ends of the tube beyond the end ofthe explosive tablet folded and flattened, a stitching passing throughthe fiat tened folded ends of the tube, a second tube tightly fittingthe first tube, and of a length less than the same, a rail-attachingstrap carried by the second tube, and a waterproof composition coveringthe entire torpedo first and securing the second tube to the first tube,substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

FRANK DUTCHER.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

